The Only Kid in Town
by Pixiebby
Summary: This is the story of all the adventures of fifteen year old Jake Adams... and Clucko. Surprisingly, Jake causes a lot of trouble for being the only kid in all of Forget-Me-Not Valley...
1. Chapter Zero

**Author's Note: I'm not sure what else to say besides that I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon.**

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**Chapter Zero**

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Jake scowled down at the watering can, opting that he would really rather kick the thing again before filling it with more water, you know, just so the helpless metal can could understand what a pain it was to lug it's big, fat butt _back_ and _forth_ everyday.

You see, Jake had discovered that kicking the poor can around could actually make him feel quite better about himself between watering his mother's abundant amount of crops. Which in this unfortunate season that everyone had come to call summer, meant that this particular chore had to be done _three times __a day_.

Jake would swear on his great-grand pappy's grave that his mother had some sadistic nature about her. How else could she always have that smile on her face when she _knew_ her one and only son was getting beat by the sun's _pms_ing summer rays?

He really didn't mind it so much during the other seasons, but every summer he would fight his mother to no end. He would send her guilt trip after guilt trip; he would complain, groan and slam doors where he felt need be. When those methods failed? (Which they always did) He'd bring out the bombs and threaten to call child protective services.

_There are child labor laws you know!_

Of course this never worked for poor Jake either, because:

A) They both knew he would never really call, and

B) His mother would always remind her ever forgetful son of the one thing he always forgot.

_Just what phone do you plan on using, sweetie?_

This would then end the argument with another door slam-- the noise made him feel better-- and him cursing their stupid small town that had no phone lines.

Never mind that if he really thought that doing chores for his mom would win his case with CPS, he could've just sent a letter.

So here he was, filling the hated metal can with water yet _again,_ dragging it back to the place on the field where it had sweetly decided to run out of water before.

He cursed as he poured water on the drying plants; couldn't his mother at the very _least_ buy a can that wouldn't run out of water after every couple crops? And just _how_ could a can that carried so little water be _so damn heavy?! _I mean, sure the boy knew he was pretty small for his age but he wasn't _weak_.

Anyway, Jake was just about finished, on his last row of crops for the entire day when a certain sound rudely brought his mind out his thoughts of hating summer and life.

It was a chicken.

Well, more specifically it was a rooster.

Okay, so if we got even more specific it would be _the_ rooster.

His mother's _prized_ rooster, the apple in her eye so to speak.

It was the very first animal that she had ever bought for the farm and had very appropriately named _Clucko._ So of course said rooster Clucko and his mother were very close and if Jake _ever_ did _anything_ to it in _anyway_, well-- to say it nicely, he'd be in some of the biggest cow poop you've ever seen. And normal cow poop is huge, just incase you didn't know.

So, there was Clucko, with his almighty 'I own the farm' attitude, strutting around the tomato crops, living life to the fullest as he happily pecked at a ripening tomato here and there.

The expert_ escapee _of the chicken pen was on the loose once again.

So the war was on and Jake was _seething_. Oh, _no _way was some rooster going to ruin the crops he'd been slaving over all summer. No way chicken. Not in this lifetime pal. Sorry, Clucko _dearest_.

The rooster, sensing he was being watched look up suddenly, narrowing his beady eyes and ruffling his feathers. (Translation: Bring it on.)

Now Jake, being the logical fifteen year old boy that he was, knew that there was no way that the bird had enough brain to even think the phrase _'bring it on'_. So when he narrowed his eyes and glared right back at Clucko, it wasn't because he was being immature, it was just because he had mastered the art of glaring by the age of nine and finally had an opportunity to use it.

You see, before he had discovered how to take his aggression out by kicking watering cans around and slamming doors. He would just give everything that made him angry the evil glare, or the _'look of death'_ if you want to go by what he called it.

Many a night he would sit in his mother's tool shed, just glaring at that mean, _mean_ watering can. Perfecting and practicing his _'look of death'_. He thought that if he stared long enough, _glared _hard enough (with a passion so strong to put _any_ aspiring drama major to shame) then maybe, just _maybe_ that forgotten power somewhere in the back of his brain would unleash and show it's power and glory by lighting the damn can on _fire, _putting it to it's ironic, melted death.

This resulted in his mother burning all of his comic books, shaking her head and saying _'the darn kids these days, superpowers! Hah!' _while doing so.

Honestly, finding her son in the tool shed like that scared the crap out of her.

So after she burned all of his prized comic books that she assumed he got this _'look of death' _from, she absolutely forbid him to _ever_ use it,_ ever _again. Or be wary of the consequences.

It was one of the sadder days of his young life, but he secretly kept practicing his _'look of death'_ when no one was around. Burned comic books wouldn't stop him from unleashing his power, no sir!

In fact, don't tell anyone but he's been writing his own comic books for years; keeping them safely hidden under his mattress. He even coincidently titled them all _'The look of Death'._

So after so much practice, you can imagine how shocked he was when the bird just continued to ruffle his feathers and do some scary clucking toward his direction.

Obviously, this was going to call for drastic measures.

Having finished watering the last crop, he swished what water was left inside the demon can, smirking at the Clucko target.

"I _told _you not to mess with the tomatoes, bird." To this, the rooster just leaned in and pecked at another tomato.

_'Mhhmm, juicy' _may have crossed its mind.

Shaking his head and not doing a very good job at controlling his temper, Jake stalked over to where the bird remained pecking at the tomato, turned the watering can upside down and let the water fall down harder then Niagara Falls itself.

If you thought that pouring water on a rooster would work, you are an absolute fool.

Honestly, it _might've _worked if he had actually hit Clucko with the water. Instead, the bird ran between Jake's legs causing him to jerk and drown a whole tomato stalk in the process.

It didn't stop there, either.

Jake with his _'look of death'_ vanishing from his face, twisted around hoping to follow the rooster before it got to any more crops. Unfortunately for him, he slipped in the mud surrounding the poor, drowning tomato stalk and well-- to put it quite nicely, he fell.

The poor tomatoes were squished and he had his face in the dirt. Clucko then took it upon himself to do a chicken walk back over to Jake, victoriously climbing onto his back (claws and all) and cluck,cluck,clucking his roar of humiliation. (Translation: _You_ eat chicken seed and tell me how _you_ like it!)

This, my friends was the summer of 1997.

And while everyone one else in the world were trading in their walkman's for portable anti-skip CD players, Jake was quite literally face down on the ground eating dirt. Oh boy! Did he dig dirt! Dirt, dirt, dirt! The different soils! The fertilizer!

Dirt was life, _his_ life and he hated it.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Jake's story continues! Finally ^_^**

** Just in case anyone is wondering, this story is being based off Another Wonderful Life for the Gamecube, Not the DS version of Forget-Me- Not Valley.**

** Oh! And to answer **_**awesomeking**_**'s question.**

** There's not a real reason as to why I chose the year 1997, I just wanted it set in the 90's :p**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon.

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**Chapter 1, The Boat

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Kate pierced her lips and shifted her eyes to the right, and then to the left.

It wasn't that she was angry, which is what Hugh thought when he saw the look on his girlfriends face. No, no. She had actually just come to the conclusion that she had luckily gotten stuck with maybe the most thick-headed guy in town. Of course, there was really only a total of maybe fourteen or fifteen guys in the whole proximity of what was considered the Forget-Me-Not Valley in which she lived, and that fact confused her as to whether Hugh being so dumb was worse or not.

Honestly though, how dense could a person be?

Kate then came to another realization which some may raise their eyebrows to. This was the first time that she, herself actually wished that Jake's dumb 'look of death' actually worked. She felt her eyes narrow as she tried to imitate Jake and the 'hero' she read about in the comic under his mattress.

"Kate?" Hugh said taking a step back.

Nope, he's still alive. It didn't work.

"Kate, I thought you'd be happy." At this Kate threw her arms up in the air, rolled her eyes and then immediately crossed her arms over her chest. She then turned her head to the side and by habit threw her snooty nose up in the air.

"We've talked about this Hugh. I want out of this town, not stuck in it for another few years." She looked at him, arms still crossed tightly across her chest and tapped her foot. "I'm twenty-two years old, and I'd like to go to college before I'm an old lady."

"Kate, I just gotta train. Dad says that this is the best place to--"

"To what? Run around this town in circles all day? Never go to the city to compete or race in anything? Don't be stupid Hugh, he just wants you to stay here like my parents want me to." She stomped her foot trying to make emphasis at how stupid his logic was.

"Well, what's wrong if they do want us to stay?" Kate gave him a pointed look at his words.

"I'm bored! I miss the city, and this town is so boring. I'm so bored here Hugh, bored." Kate sat down on the edge of her bed, slouching as she stared at the floor. The same floor she has been staring at for years. What if she never left this town? Would she be staring at this same floor for the rest of her life? She was too young to be trapped!

"Well, what about your book babe?" At this Kate frowned and looked up at him.

"I'm stuck. I haven't been able to write anything for months..."

Kate and Hugh have been having this argument over and over lately. Every time that she thought they were finally going to start the moving process by looking for jobs and places to live in the city, Hugh would just throw her writers block, his training, and their families all in her face.

It wasn't selfish wanting to leave this backwood valley, was it?

Kate and Hugh suddenly jumped when they heard a loud yell from outside. Running over to the back window, she poked her head out and could see Jake running at full force out of the farm and heading straight down to the beach.

She decided to try to get his attention by yelling out the nickname she gave him when he was only three years old...

"Little Doofus!" Jake didn't hear her though and just kept running, Clucko cautiously stepping off the farm after him.

"What is it?" Hugh asked from behind her.

"Oh, just Jake and that stupid rooster. I'm going to go see what's wrong, okay?" She turned to leave when Hugh gently pushed her back.

"Kate, we're talking." She narrowed her eyes again, thinking of that stupid comic under Jake's mattress and the 'look of death'. Again, nothing.

"Oh, we were talking Hugh? And here I thought you were just ruining my day." With that she stomped passed him, out of her room and down the stairs, leaving Hugh with a frown on his face.

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Jake was so furious that he had forgotten all of his angry antics.

He ran down to the beach, and without even thinking he spotted that old boat that had been sitting in that same exact spot since before he was even born. In his adrenaline rush, his thoughts and ideas seemed like brilliant plans in his young mind. He started laughing menacingly as he started to push the boat into the water, and hopped in. He was finally going to escape from this small prison and get_ away_, away from everything and everyone.

If only he would have noticed the holes at the bottom of the little boat.

"Hey Jake! Did you know you're sinking?" He looked back to the shore to see Kate and.. was that Clucko? Rubbing affectionately against her leg? Did that bird think it was a cat?

He slapped a hand to the side of his face as he felt the good lower part of his body start to get very wet, he continued to sink.

_Oh Goddess_, he thought, _is my life a joke to you? _

Jake shivered, he could've sworn he heard mythical laughter in his ear.

"You gotta swim back you moron!" Jake just groaned at Kate's words before cupping his hands around his mouth to yell back.

"I never learned how!" Honestly, why would he in this town? Nobody went swimming, no one. Or at least Jake didn't, but that's why he thought no one else did either.

Kate stared out to sea for a moment, watching as her friend continued to slowly sink. She thought of how he could be possible drowning in a short few minutes and tilted her head to the side. To save, or not to save?

After contemplating this thought she finally decided that life would just be too boring without him. She decided to save him for her, not him you see.

She then patted Clucko on the head, removed her shoes and jumped in the water.

Moments later there were two very wet friends laying on the sandy beach, and both were very exhausted. Clucko just watched, thinking to himself how yummy the flower he was chewing on was.

Finally calming down some, Kate turned on her side and rested her head on her hand as she stared Jake down. His eyes were closed and he kept pulling at his hair over and over again.

"Wanna talk little doofus?" She said with a raised eyebrow. Kate didn't just save his life to not get any answers out of him.

She watched as his eyes flew open at her words and he sat up, "Real tactful Kate."

She just shrugged, "Am I suppose to treat you different just because you had a mini breakdown?"

Jake looked down at her sideways, and his curious boy and instinctive eyes suddenly found themselves not looking quite at her face.

"Jake, you could be discreet at least." He quickly turned his head back to the sea, feeling his face heat up.

"Sorry."

Kate just coughed and shrugged again, "Tell me what's wrong now?"

Jake just sighed and put a hand through his wet hair, a knot getting stuck on his fingers. "I.." He felt his eyes sting at the corners and he tensed up wishing that feeling to go away, "I.. saw something."

_Okay. _Kate thought as she turned away from him, she watched Clucko peck at something on the ground and saw Hugh in the distance. He was making one of his runs around town.

"My Dad.." Jake continued, and Kate turned to look at him again. "I saw my... him... I saw my Dad kissing Celia."

"Shut up!" She said, sitting up with a gaping mouth. "Don't lie Jake! Marlin would never cheat on your Mom!" She shook her head and hit him in the shoulder.

"I'm not lying." Jake hissed rubbing his shoulder, "This is gonna bruise." He frowned giving her a sad little boy look.

"Wimp and a liar." Kate said standing up, "I'm not going to listen to your crap Jake, put it in one of your stupid comics under your mattress." She turned her head and put her nose up in the air, about to leave the sad and wet boy there when he said something to make her stop in her tracks.

"He even admitted it to me." Kate jumped back around.

"What?" She said wanting answers. Jake looked up at her and let out a sigh, getting ready to tell her the story.

"I was walking up to the spring after I finished watering the crops.." He felt his voice crack when he said crops and looked back out to the sea embarrassed.

"I.. I was shocked at what I saw and just ran back home. I went straight to my room and kicked that stupid stuffed bear he gave me. I kicked it a few times, _really_ hard. I just, I didn't know what to do. So then I sat on my bed. I sat on my bed and my leg started shaking, you know? You know how you shake your leg when you're all impatient and nervous? I.. I didn't know what to do. Tell Mom? No, I was gonna confront him. So I decided to go in the kitchen and wait for him at the table, and my leg started to freaking tap the ground and shake again. And, and I just couldn't stop. I couldn't stop, not until... he entered through the door..."

By this time Kate was sitting right up next to him, hanging on his every word that rambled out of his mouth.

"I just stared at him Kate, you know? I just stared, and I think he knew that I knew. I think he knew. I was just so nervous, but I just kept _staring_. He never said anything. Nothing Kate, _nothing_. So I finally opened my mouth and I said, I told him.. I told him I saw him, you know?"

Kate's mouth was still wide open with surprise. "What did he say Jake?"

"He said, he asked me how long I had known." Jake felt the corners of his eyes sting again as he felt Kate put a hand on his shoulder for comfort, but he just winced from the bruise that was now forming.

"I got so angry Kate.. I.. I kicked him. I just got up and kicked him. I couldn't even punch him like a man.. and then I just ran out the house and you know the rest.. I'm.. I can't go back home, I'm, I won't. Not with him there."

It was silent for what felt like a long time, and it seemed that Clucko even knew not to be annoying for the time being.

Kate, with a lack of knowing what to say, said the only thing that came to her mind. "You know, old man Galen is going to be so angry when he finds out you sank his boat."

That made Jake let out a nervous laugh, "I never knew who owned it."

"Yeah, well. He used to be a fisherman, mystery solved." Kate said, as she patted Clucko on the head. The bird started to peck at Jake's hand. He didn't even flinch from it.

"What are you gonna do Jake?" He just shrugged at her words.

"I kind of wish you would've just let me drown."

They were quiet until they heard footsteps, and turned to see Hugh run past them again.

"How many times does he circle the town?" Jake asked.

Kate just laughed.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: This poor neglected story... D: It was well overdue for an update.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon.**

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**Chapter 2, Do Roosters Drink Milk or Eat Corn Flakes?**

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Jake awoke the next morning with his face in a pink pillow. "What the hell...?" He groggily rubbed his eyes and looked around the room confused.

Why was he in Kate's room?

He heard a small cluck come from a corner and averted his eyes to where the sound came from. Clucko was sleeping in the corner.

Really? Why the bird? Why?

He dropped his face back into the pillow and pouted, allowing everything that had happened yesterday to come back to him. Kate had let him stay the night at her house because he didn't want to go home.

The door suddenly burst open as Kate walked into the room, carrying a bowl in her hands. "I made you cereal Jakey." She said in a sing song voice, ruffling his hair as he took the bowl and glared at her. "HAH. Don't even try your_ 'look of death' _on me. I let you stay here last night, and I made your breakfast you doofus."

Jake froze at her words, the spoon an inch away from his mouth. "How do you know about that?" He said stunned.

"What? Your comic books? I found them under your mattress years ago." She giggled and imitated the 'look of death' stance from the comic book. "I thought you knew."

Jake dropped the spoon back down into the bowl, scowling. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Did the Goddess find his life funny or something?

Kate just continued to laugh at him, "Anyway so I've been thinking, and I have a plan."

Jake averted his eyes towards his cereal, feeling embarrassed. "About what?"

Kate threw her hands up in the air, "About the situation with your parents Jake! Come on." She crossed her arms, and turned her head a little. "I'm going to go talk to Celia. She would never continue this if she thought that other people knew what they were doing. Then your Mom will never have to find out about this, and everything will be perfect." She glanced at him, "Plus, then you can have blackmail on your Dad for the rest of his life." She smiled, rather proud of herself for coming up with such an awesome plan.

"I don't know Kate... that sounds too easy. I would feel weird if my Mom didn't know, I don't think I will ever be able to look at my Dad the same way ever again." He shook his head, "I can't believe he's been doing this shit." He turned his gaze back over to where the rooster still slept. Jake shook his head.

"Yeah well..." Kate walked across the room to look out her window. "Life isn't perfect Jake. You tell me what you want to do."

He looked at her, and placed the cold bowl on the nightstand by the bed. Stomach feeling too sick to eat anything. "I want to leave."

"Leave where?" She said, absent-mindlessly playing with the latch on her window.

"I don't know, just wherever. I am so sick of this town. Don't you ever want to leave this place?" Jake's voice was soft as he laid back down on the bed, feeling the soft comforter against his skin.

Kate was quiet, thinking back to her conversation with Hugh the day before. She was sick of this place. Wouldn't it be tempting to just run away? With Jake? She never really considered leaving here with anyone but Hugh before... but now...

"I think we have to do something about your parents first." She said turning back to look at him. "You're fifteen years old Jake, if you left they would come looking."

"I guess your right." It was silent between the two for a moment before they both jumped at the sudden clash of porcelain hitting the ground. They turned to see Clucko lapping up the milk out of the now broken bowl and happily pecking at the corn flakes. "What the hell?" Jake yelled, before he lunged toward the rooster.

The rooster clucked as it moved swiftly out of the way and pecked at Jake's head. "Ow, shit!" Jake hissed and glared at the bird. Clucko just ruffled his feathers. (Translation: I eat what I want.) He then went back to pecking at the cereal on the floor.

"Stupid bird." Jake said under his breath as he heard Kate laugh at him. Clucko just flapped his wings as he did his chicken dance.

"You know my Mom is going to freak when she see's her bowl broken." She sniffed, "Also I think that rooster went to the bathroom in here somewhere." Jake scowled resisting the urge to throw his Mother's prized rooster out the window.

He then suddenly laughed to himself. The rooster had his wings clipped, he couldn't fly if he got thrown out. Not that Roosters could really fly anyway. Jake eyed the bird, and eyed the window. So tempting.

"You clean this mess up Jake, I'm going to go talk to Celia." She turned to leave.

"Wait." Jake said and watched her pause at the door. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

She looked back at him over her shoulder, "Only one way to find out." She left, closing the door behind her and leaving Jake to his thoughts.

"I really hope she knows what she's doing..." He said to the air, before glancing down to see Clucko now pecking at the bottom of his jeans.

Jake eyed the window again, and grinned.

* * *

Kate crouched down under the window of Celia's house. It was open and she was hoping she could eavesdrop a little before she went in to go talk to her. She wondered if Vesta knew about the affair.

She listened to a minute or two, the words that floated out of the window only having to do with vegetable and farm work and she rolled her eyes. What a boring conversation to listen in on.

She let out a puff of air, about to give up when she heard Vesta mention Marlin's name.

_"Oh... no, I haven't seen him in awhile." _Kate frowned, guessing that meant that Vesta didn't know. She never would've thought that Celia would lie about anything... or have an affair with a married man for that matter.

"Kate? What are you doing?" Kate jumped hitting her head on the bottom of the windowsill and hissed.

"Hugh, you scared me." She said in a hushed voiced and narrowed her eyes, she hoped the noise wasn't loud enough for Celia and Vesta to hear.

"What are you doing?" He said again as he came closer. Kate heard the front door of the house open, and a twinge of fear rose up in her chest. She jumped up, grabbing Hugh by the arm and pulled him around the side of the house.

"Kate, what's going on?" He said confused as she continued to glare at him. "Were you spying on Vesta and Celia?" She shushed him, putting a hand over his mouth as she listened. Sounded like Vesta was just about to go do her farm work, meaning Celia was all alone in the house. Perfect. She grimaced as she felt Hugh licked her fingers and pushed him away.

"Hugh, I'm busy right now." She said pushing him aside only to have him tug her back to him.

"No, now listen. I want to know what's going on. I also want to know what's going on about this rumor that Jake slept over your house last night?" Kate's eyes grew wide.

"What are you trying to imply Hugh? You think I'm cheating on you with Jake?" When Hugh just continued to stare her down she let out a frustrated breath of air and took a step back from him. "Hugh, he is _fifteen_ years old! I'm eight years older than him!" He didn't seem convinced.

"So? My parents are six years apart. It could happen." He said a bit angrily.

"Well it's a little different when one of them is only _fifteen_. fifteen!" She shook her head, "Look, I don't have time for your stupid insecurities about a fifteen year old boy right now. If you want to know what's going on just go ask Jake yourself. He's probably still in my room..." Hugh's eyes grew wide. "He spent the night last night because he's having a problem with his _family _Hugh, he's just a friend." She stared at him, her arms crossed feeling a little humiliated. How could he even think that she'd be with Jake like that?

"Fine." Hugh said, running a hand through his hair. "I'll go see what's up with him then."

"Good." Kate said. They just looked at each other for a moment. There was an awkward air between them until they heard a loud crash, a scream, and what sounded like rooster laughter in the distance.

"Ugh, Jake and that stupid rooster. Go help him will you? I'll see you later." She pushed past him and turned around to the other side of the house, passing the window until she found the front door. She took a deep breath and knocked once before she opened the door to let herself in.

* * *

Celia was in the little kitchen when she looked up to see who came in the house, her face brightening when she recognized Kate.

"How may I help you?" She smiled as she greeted Kate. "Did you need to buy something today? Strawberries are great this season." Kate shook her head, a false smile on her own face.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something if you have time." Celia looked at her with a curious expression on her face. "It's pretty serious." Kate added in hopes that Celia would take the time to talk to her.

"Oh.. Well, I will try to help you in whatever way that I can." She said as she eyed the girl. "Do you want to sit down?" She gestured over to the kitchen table and Kate shook her head.

"I'm okay, thanks." Kate looked around the room for a second before crossing her arms and looking back at the girl. "Do you mind if we go upstairs to talk in your room actually? I wouldn't want anyone to walk in on our conversation."

Celia simply stared at her for a second, finding it odd that Kate wanted to talk to her. She never came to her before about anything. "If you'd be more comfortable, sure. I do hope everything is alright." She turned and started for the stairs as Kate followed her to her room.


End file.
